Caleb Downs leads 4 Ohio State players selected to Associated Press preseason All-America first team

Ohio State safety Caleb Downs, one of the second-ranked Buckeyes' high-profile transfers, and three of his new teammates were selected for the preseason Associated Press All-America team announced Monday. Downs, who was a second-team All-American as a freshman for Alabama last season, was joined by guard Donovan Jackson, receiver Emeka Egbuka and cornerback Denzel Burke to give Ohio State the most first-team selections. Running back TreVeyon Henderson and defensive lineman Tyleik Williams made the second team to give the Buckeyes six total selections, also the most of any team. No. 1 Georgia and No. 9 Michigan each had three players picked for the first team. Quarterback Carson Beck was joined by fellow Bulldogs guard Tate Ratledge and defensive back Malaki Starks, a first-team All-American last year. The defending national champion Wolverines are represented by tight end Colston Loveland, defensive tackle Mason Graham and cornerback Will Johnson. No. 5 Alabama put two transfers on the first team in center Parker Brailsford (Washington) and kicker Graham Nicholson (Miami, Ohio). No. 7 Notre Dame and No. 13 LSU also had two first-team selections. The Fighting Irish had defensive tackle Howard Cross III and safety Xavier Watts selected. Watts was an All-American last season and Cross made the second team. The Tigers were represented by tackle Will Campbell and linebacker Harold Perkins Jr. on the first team. No. 3 Oregon placed three players on the second team, including quarterback Dillon Gabriel, a sixth-year player who transferred from Oklahoma after starting his career at UCF. First-team by conference SEC - 10. Big Ten - 8. ACC - 4. Big 12 - 3. Independent - 2. First team o ffense Quarterback — Carson Beck, fifth year, Georgia. Running backs — Ollie Gordon II, third year, Oklahoma State; Omarion Hampton, third year, North Carolina. Tackles — Will Campbell, third year, LSU; Kelvin Banks Jr., third year, Texas. Guards — Donovan Jackson, fourth year, Ohio State; Tate Ratledge, fifth year, Georgia. Center — Parker Brailsford, third year, Alabama. Tight end — Colston Loveland, third year, Michigan. Wide receivers — Luther Burden III, third year, Missouri; Tetairoa McMillan, third year, Arizona; Emeka Egbuka, fourth year, Ohio State. All-purpose player — Travis Hunter, third year, Colorado. Kicker — Graham Nicholson, fourth year, Alabama. First team defense Edge — James Pearce Jr., third year, Tennessee; Ashton Gillotte, fourth year, Louisville. Tackles — Mason Graham, third year, Michigan; Howard Cross III, sixth year, Notre Dame. Linebackers — Harold Perkins Jr., third year, LSU; Jay Higgins, fifth year, Iowa; Barrett Carter, fourth year, Clemson. Cornerbacks — Will Johnson, third year, Michigan; Denzel Burke, fourth year, Ohio State. Safeties — Malaki Starks, third year, Georgia; Caleb Downs, second year, Ohio State. Defensive back — Xavier Watts, fifth year, Notre Dame. Punter — Alex Mastromanno, fifth year, Florida State. Second team o ffense Quarterback — Dillon Gabriel, sixth year, Oregon. Running backs — TreVeyon Henderson, fourth year, Ohio State; Ashton Jeanty, third year, Boise State Tackles — Ajani Cornelius, fifth year, Oregon; Aireontae Ersery, fifth year, Minnesota. Guards — Tyler Booker, third year, Alabama; Dylan Fairchild, fourth year, Georgia. Center — Cooper Mays, fifth year, Tennessee. Tight end — Mitchell Evans, fourth year, Notre Dame. Wide receivers — Tez Johnson, fifth year, Oregon; Tre Harris, fifth year, Mississippi; Ricky White III, fifth year, UNLV. All-purpose player — Zachariah Branch, second year, Southern California. Kicker — Andres Borregales, fourth year, Miami. Second team defense Edge — Nic Scourton, third year, Texas A&M; Abdul Carter, third year, Penn State. Tackles — Tyleik Williams, fourth year, Ohio State; Deone Walker, third year, Kentucky. Linebackers — Danny Stutsman, fourth year, Oklahoma; Jason Henderson, fourth year, Old Dominion; Nick Martin, fourth year, Oklahoma State. Cornerbacks — Benjamin Morrison, third year, Notre Dame; Sebastian Castro, sixth year, Iowa. Safeties — Dillon Thieneman, second year, Purdue; Billy Bowman, fourth year, Oklahoma. Defensive back — Ricardo Hallman, fourth year, Wisconsin. Punter — James Ferguson-Reynolds, third year, Boise State.